Village Landmarks

Smithy Green (1, WA16 9PW), along with the areas around the Church marks the historic core of the village. The blacksmiths and post office used to be located in properties adjacent to the green. Today you will find one of the village signs and several benches here, making it a handy stopping spot for many cyclists and walkers as they travel through the village.

The Tree of Imagination (WA16 9PT) is located on the corner of Free Green Lane and Broom Lane. It is carved out of a 300 year old oak tree and was created through a community project in 2015. . It has been created to delight and inspire children and all those who are still young at heart.

The tree has had to be roofed to protect the soft interior from further water damage. This roof also incorporates an owl box, a bat box and a nesting box within its construction.

Please go and see it for yourselves, but please park responsibly and with regard for the neighbouring properties and other road users.

The Bells of Peover (WA16 9PZ) is a well-known Grade II listed public house, famous not only for its proximity to our 13th century Grade I half-timbered church, but also for the centuries old wisteria that straddles its frontage. The probability is that back in the 13th Century it was a former priests house, which then transformed itself over time by the brewing of ale for the refreshment of monks and travellers. A date of 1569 has been suggested for the present Inn and the earliest record of a licensee is for 1640 when Raphe Kinsey is noted as the landlord of the ‘Swans Neck’ in Lower Peover.

In 1839, the name of the inn was changed to ‘The Warren de Tabley Arms’ in deference to the owners, the Leicester Family from Tabley, who had recently acquired the title of Baron de Tabley. However, a future change of name took place around the 1890’s and has nothing whatsoever to do with the church bells which hang in the church tower, and all to do with a family who in 1849 took over the tenancy of the inn.

George Bell took the tenancy, aged 28, and created a dynasty which lasted for 65 years.

Not only did the Bell family run a very fine Inn, they also created their own brewery on the premises and supplied many other local pubs in the area with their ale known as ‘Bells Graveyard Ale’. When talking amongst themselves, locals in the area would say ‘we are going to the Bell’s tonight’ and this stuck with the premises then being known as the ‘Bells of Peover’ from this time forward.

The Bell family left in 1915 having endured several family tragedies, and the Inn is still known as the ‘Bells of Peover’ to this day, and is as popular as ever with visitors and locals alike.

St. Oswalds (WA16 9PZ), the Grade I listed Parish Church originates from the 13th century and is the oldest standing structure in the parish. There is an automatic defibrillator outside to the north of the church. At the time of the Domesday book in 1069 Lower Peover did not have a church, but was in the Medieval Parish of Great Budworth. In 1269 Richard Grosvenor of Hulme Hall, Allostock built a timber chapel on the present site and dedicated it to St. Oswald, King of Northumbria. Initially Mass with confessions was the only form of worship, performed by a visiting priest, but presumably burials must have taken place. There would have been no furniture except for an Altar until 1322 when a font, believed to have come from Norton Priory, was added. The only other piece of furniture would have been a famous bog oak chest which was carved out of one piece of oak tree trunk and was used to store books, vessels and robes. Legend has it that the prospective bride of a Cheshire Farmer must be able to lift the heavy lid with one hand. At about this time a resident priest was installed who is said to have lived where the Bells of Peover now stands, and baptisms and marriages were allowed.

In 1464 Robert Grosvenor died and with proceeds from his will the North Aisle was built and in 1582 the Tower was built with stone from Alderley Edge. The South Aisle was built circa 1610 by the parishioners, but the Shakerley’s of Hulme Hall (descendants of Robert Grosvenor) added and adorned a south chancel for their own use, known today as the “ Shakerley Chapel”. From 1549 onwards the gated pews in the north aisle were added but some of the others were not put in till after 1625. It is believed that at some stage there was a large gallery, accessed by steep steps from the tower, but this was removed in 1853.

In 1653 Sir Robert Leycester of Tabley (also descendants of Robert Grosvenor) became Patron of St. Oswalds, and his family remained so until the death of Lt. Col. John Leycester-Warren J.P., T.D.,D.L. in 1975 when Victoria University of Manchester took over as Patrons. Lower Peover Church is also famous for its bread shelves dated 1720 and 1739 installed by Richard Comberbach and Jane Parker by the font for the distribution of bread to the needy of the village.

St. Oswalds is believed to be the 2nd oldest timber framed church in Europe and its greatest change took place under the direction of the well known architect A. Salvin who transformed it to “the finest specimen of timber built ecclesiastical edifices extanct” (London News Jan 1st 1853). The Lych Gate was added at the end of the 19th early 20th century and a Millenium window designed by local artist Sarah Clegg and installed by Camillus of Bollington in the tower in the year 2000. For more information go to peoverchurches.org.uk

Lower Peover Primary School (5, WA16 9PZ) was founded in 1710 by Richard Comberbach. Richard Comberbach's ambition had been to found a school, so in 1709, with the assistance of his wife who had private means, he bought a lot of land on which to build a school. This plot was by the south-west corner of the churchyard, and the building still stands there currently named 'The Little House’.

The School was opened in 1710 and Richard Comberbach and his wife taught there together. In his will, written in 1720, Mr Comberbach left money for the provision and maintenance of a school teacher, to teach the children of the poor within the Parish of Lower Peover. At his wife's request, some money was to be designated for building repairs and for classroom materials. In 1722, it became an endowed school registered as an educational charity under the

title of 'Foundation of Richard Cumberbach and Wife' and managed by the Trustees. A copy of his will is framed and hangs in the church. Mr and Mrs Comberbach also contributed to a fund whereby bread was made available for the poor within the church. These bread shelves can be seen, near the font.

In 1984 the school Governors became a separate body from the Trustees.

Today the trust still owns Lower Peover Primary School and 'School House’ and the school field. The Trustees continue work of the Comberbach family to support Lower Peover School in all respects more than 300 years after the school was founded.

The Little House (6, WA16 9PZ) is the original site of the village school founded in 1710 by Richard Comberbach

The Country Store (7, WA16 9QE) is a fabulous well stocked village shop and post office with an automatic defibrillator outside. It is open from early until late and there is availability for both banking and cash withdrawal too.

On the shop forecourt an automatic defibrillator is housed in the decommissioned phone box.

You will also find the Parish Notice Board outside the store that has the latest Parish Council information minutes and the dates of the next meetings.

The Crown (8, WA16 9QB): Built in the late 16th early 17th century this cobble fronted pub can be found at the junction of Crown Lane with Hulme Lane and Middlewich Road right in the centre of the village. The Crown Inn and Farm was originally part of the Tabley Estate and was sold off by Cuthbert Leycester Warren in 1920 to John Thomas Dutton when many of the outlying farms were sold off the Estate. At the time, it was both the farmhouse to Crown Inn Farm, and an Ale House where many local farmers and ancillary workers met for a drink and to socialise. On the 18th March 1938 it was sold off to Chesters Brewery and became a separate entity and a new farmhouse was built.

In the 1970s it was popular for it’s pub lunches and evening meals and it’s Darts and Domino teams who successfully took part in the local leagues. In 1975 the Gooseberry Show was introduced and became an annual event being held on the last Saturday in July every year. The growing of large Gooseberries is a long standing tradition in Mid Cheshire going back over 100 years and is still going strong today. There are 4 colours, Red, Green, Yellow and White and the classes are for the heaviest premier single berry, doubles and triples. The prizes are keenly contested by the locals whose growing secrets are closely guarded, but new members are always welcome.

The Crown still remains a popular meeting place, with musical entertainment most weekends in the summer and various special events throughout the year.